Sarah Darer Littman is an American author acclaimed for her middle-grade and young-adult novels, including Backlash and Confessions of a Closet Catholic, the latter of which won the prestigious Sydney Taylor Book Award. Littman has written 19 novels tackling complex social issues through fiction.
Littman's work has long explored themes of identity, social justice, and personal growth. Her 2015 novel Backlash, which explores the devastating effects of cyberbullying, won the Iowa Teen Book Award and the Grand Canyon Reader Award.
In recent years, Littman has continued to push boundaries with her writing, most notably with her novel Some Kind of Hate (2022), which delves into the dark world of online extremism and the rise of neo-Nazi ideology.
Reflecting on her process for Some Kind of Hate, Littman explains that extensive research is crucial to her writing. "I do a lot of research for all my books — even my fun middle-grade books!" she remarks.
For this novel, Littman spent several years studying online extremism, conducting interviews and attending workshops to gain a deeper understanding of the subject.
"The research for this book began in late 2018 and continued until 2021, which involved a lot of reading and interviewing," she notes. This commitment to authenticity and accuracy has earned Littman a reputation for creating thought-provoking and impactful literature.
Littman's writing process is methodical and flexible, adapting to the needs of each project. "Every book is different — what works for one book won't work for the next," she observes, emphasising the importance of a versatile approach to storytelling. Some Kind of Hate was originally conceived as a dual-perspective narrative but evolved into a more nuanced story focusing on two male characters and exploring themes of friendship, betrayal and the struggle for redemption.
The sensitive nature of the issues Littman tackles sometimes requires last-minute changes, as was the case with Some Kind of Hate. After a real-life attack on a synagogue, she worked with her editor to change certain details in the manuscript to avoid inspiring harmful actions. "The last thing I want to do is cause harm," says Littman, demonstrating her commitment to responsible storytelling.
When not writing fiction, she teaches creative writing as an adjunct professor in the MFA program at Western Connecticut State University and the Yale Writers' Workshop. Littman is also an award-winning columnist for the online news site CTNewsJunkie.com.
Sarah Darer Littman lives in Connecticut.
Photo credit: sarahdarerlittman.com
Littman's work has long explored themes of identity, social justice, and personal growth. Her 2015 novel Backlash, which explores the devastating effects of cyberbullying, won the Iowa Teen Book Award and the Grand Canyon Reader Award.
In recent years, Littman has continued to push boundaries with her writing, most notably with her novel Some Kind of Hate (2022), which delves into the dark world of online extremism and the rise of neo-Nazi ideology.
Reflecting on her process for Some Kind of Hate, Littman explains that extensive research is crucial to her writing. "I do a lot of research for all my books — even my fun middle-grade books!" she remarks.
For this novel, Littman spent several years studying online extremism, conducting interviews and attending workshops to gain a deeper understanding of the subject.
"The research for this book began in late 2018 and continued until 2021, which involved a lot of reading and interviewing," she notes. This commitment to authenticity and accuracy has earned Littman a reputation for creating thought-provoking and impactful literature.
Littman's writing process is methodical and flexible, adapting to the needs of each project. "Every book is different — what works for one book won't work for the next," she observes, emphasising the importance of a versatile approach to storytelling. Some Kind of Hate was originally conceived as a dual-perspective narrative but evolved into a more nuanced story focusing on two male characters and exploring themes of friendship, betrayal and the struggle for redemption.
The sensitive nature of the issues Littman tackles sometimes requires last-minute changes, as was the case with Some Kind of Hate. After a real-life attack on a synagogue, she worked with her editor to change certain details in the manuscript to avoid inspiring harmful actions. "The last thing I want to do is cause harm," says Littman, demonstrating her commitment to responsible storytelling.
When not writing fiction, she teaches creative writing as an adjunct professor in the MFA program at Western Connecticut State University and the Yale Writers' Workshop. Littman is also an award-winning columnist for the online news site CTNewsJunkie.com.
Sarah Darer Littman lives in Connecticut.
Photo credit: sarahdarerlittman.com
years of life: 1963 – present
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